Well, this is a surprise. After months of leaks and rumours around the OnePlus 7 sporting an edge-to-edge screen, pop-up selfie camera, and triple-camera, the latest report around the as-yet unannounced phone suggests it will actually be pretty much indistinguishable from its predecessor, OnePlus 6T.
Shared by PriceBaBa in collaboration with Twitter tipster @OnLeaks, who only shares leaks based on CAD models used in the manufacturing process and has an almost infallible track record when it comes to unreleased handsets, these all-new renders show a very familiar design for the OnePlus 7. That's not to say that everything we've heard rumoured so far is incorrect, but it seems to be that this all-new design will be reserved for a second pricier model, dubbed OnePlus 7 Pro.
According to @OnLeaks, the non-pro OnePlus 7 will have the same dewdrop-style notch at the top of the screen for a front-facing camera as we've already seen on the OnePlus 6T, which launched late last year.
In fact, one of the only differences between the OnePlus 7 in this render and the OnePlus 6T is the LED flash on the back of the handset, which has seemingly been incorporated into the oblong camera housing. Another differentiator is the screen size, which will purportedly decrease from 6.41-inches on the OnePlus 6T down to 6.2-inches on the entry-level OnePlus 7.
If these new leaks are accurate and OnePlus does decide to launch a handset that is almost identical to its predecessor, it's possible the OnePlus 7 will be cheaper than its most recent releases. Is OnePlus looking to return to the £309 price tag targeted when it launched the OnePlus 3 in June 2016.
It's unclear whether the OnePlus 7 Pro, which looks set to inherits the most radical design changes and features, will launch with a price tag similar to the OnePlus 6T, which started from £499 and rose to £579 for the highest spec.
#OnePlus May 14th launch event: #OnePlus7 ≈ 6.4" flat display / waterdrop notch front camera / dual rear camera with 48MP as primary #OnePlus7Pro ≈ 6.64" curved display / pop-up front camera / triple rear camera with 48MP as primary + Telephoto + Ultra Wide#OnePlus7PRO5G pic.twitter.com/zGic9AQdVxApril 16, 2019
As always, it's worth taking all of these rumours with a healthy pinch of salt. Despite the solid track record of the tipster behind this leak, nothing is guaranteed until OnePlus CEO Pete Lau unveils the handset on-stage.
Fortunately, there might not be long to wait before we find out everything that OnePlus has planned for its next flagship phone range, with the latest whispers pegging the OnePlus 7 release date for May 14, 2019.
Lead Image Credit: PriceBaBa / @OnLeaks
